Puri offers a number of colourful fairs and festivals such as Chandan Yatra, Snana Yatra (Bath festival), Anavasara festival and Nava- Kalevara etc., but it is the Chariot Festival, an annual sojourn of the three deities riding their lofty chariots, that hits the bull's eye. During the Chandan Yatra in April, the deities are taken to a boat ride in the Narendra sarovara after they are bathed in sandalwood scented water. During the Snana Yatra, the main deities are brought to the Snana-Mandapa in a procession calles Pahandi, where around mid-day 108 pots of water are poured on them. During the Anavasara festival, it is said that Lord Jagannath suffers from fever and hence an infusion of medicines is offered in the form of soups and fruit juices. Nava-Kalevara is when Lord Jagannath , gets a new body. This takes place whenever a double Ashar occurs in a year which usually happens in every 8, 11 or 19 years.
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